July 11, 2025 • 39 mins
Morgan White Fills In On NightSide
If you remember the 80s, you may recall a comedic accordion player by the name of Judy Tenuta. Despite her passing in 2022, Tenuta lives on in a new film written and directed by its star, Taylor Blackwell. Tonight, Morgan chats with 26-year-old Blackwell about “It Happened: The Judy Tenuta Story.”
If you remember the 80s, you may recall a comedic accordion player by the name of Judy Tenuta. Despite her passing in 2022, Tenuta lives on in a new film written and directed by its star, Taylor Blackwell. Tonight, Morgan chats with 26-year-old Blackwell about “It Happened: The Judy Tenuta Story.”
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
It's with Dan Ray. I'm going crazy Bondon's.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
News Radio kight oh seven in the evening. Welcome everybody,
this is your last night without Dan Ray. I'm Morgan
Morgan White Junior and Dan has been off pretty much
most of July, but he will be back on Monday,
and I've got a full slate of guests. Tonight ten o'clock,
(00:30):
Dixie will be here giving a view an oh, excuse me,
an overview of the baseball season twenty twenty five All
Star game next week usually marks the midpoint of the
season within the game of two, and Dixie will be
talking baseball from ten to midnight. Nine o'clock, I will
(00:52):
be speaking with Bill Jennicot. I hope I pronounced his
name right. I'll verify that once I have Bill Long,
and he's going to talk about a book on mort Walker,
the artist who created the character Beatle Bailey. And now
I'm going to be speaking with a young lady who
(01:13):
has taken on a project both the documentary and I
do believe, a book about the legendary comedian from the
seventies and eighties. She used to do her stand up
while playing an accordion and necessarily you would think that
wouldn't work, but it worked like clockwork the career of
(01:35):
Judy to Nuda. So please welcome Taylor Blackwell. Taylor, thank you, Hey,
thank you for coming on. I know we were supposed
to have you on a week ago, but the schedule
needs to be changed and I'm glad to have you.
Speaker 1 (01:52):
Thank you for accommodating me. I'm happy to be here now.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
No problem. What was it about Judy Tannuda that attracted you?
Speaker 1 (02:01):
She was such a dynamic character and so lively and
had all these different colors to her. She could be loud,
she could be angelic, she could be brash, and for
me that was really interesting to see someone flip between
those different sweetness and more sour components of their persona.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
And let me clarify one thing. It's a book and
a documentary, if I'm not mistaken that you're part of.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
So no, it's a biopick, which means that it's not
a documentary. It would be using archival footage of Judy.
But what we've done is we've recreated some of her story.
So I'm playing Judy. Oh okay, yes, so you've seen
these biotics. They had a bob Dylan went out not
(02:55):
too long ago. Yes, it's kind of like that. But
a mini version of our film is thirteen minutes long
and no book. But Judy has published books that are
wonderful and should definitely be checked out.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
And did you just to get more foundation to your performance,
did you read any of those books?
Speaker 3 (03:17):
Oh?
Speaker 1 (03:17):
Of course, yes, read the books and watched every interview
and comedy special I could get my hands on that
Judy did. And then I also had lots of conversations
with her friends and family and her life partner vern
Pains and now I'm the duty to muta legacy was
very instrumental in making this film happen and allowing me
(03:38):
to use her real costumes and her real accordion for
filming as well.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
Do you play accordion?
Speaker 1 (03:45):
I do, yeah, and I played before this project, which
was part of the draw as well.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
And the key of because I have a very good
friend who appears on this show periodically with me, and
he is an accomplished accordionist. He plays the accordion not
as much as he used to, and he entertained with humor,
which basically is a basic overview of what Judy did.
Speaker 4 (04:20):
Right.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
Yeah, there there must be spiritual siblings of.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
This story, Kindred souls, Kindred Souls. Now, is there any
footage of Judy on the web if you go to
old MERV Griffin tapes or the Tonight Show, because I
know she appeared on both those programs. Where can we
find some live footage of Judy?
Speaker 1 (04:47):
YouTube was such an amazing resource for me when I
was writing, and there's lots and lots of puts of
her on there, or her doing the Women of the
Night special with Paula Palmstone, with the Runner, her own
generous parting short with the MC. I know a lot
of that is on YouTube, Okay, I would say that's
a good starting point, and then you can watch the
(05:07):
trailer for our film on YouTube while you're at it,
which is just under my name Taylor Blackwell.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
And I remember that Women of the Night specially, I
think it was on HBO or yes, it was on HBO,
and I remember that and the three other people in
that special were all at the top of the game,
and so was Judy.
Speaker 1 (05:34):
And yes, that was the real I think launching pad
for a lot of those women who were already gaining
a lot of recognition. And then that was a big moment,
I think, and a lot of their careers.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
And I think Ellen was doing stand up comedy and
different karmedy clubs, but by no means had the popularity
that we saw her have when she had her own program.
And you mentioned Paula Poundstone. I loved I loved Paula's comedy.
(06:11):
There's just something about her perspective of life that just
rang true, at least to me, and the same with Judy.
Speaker 1 (06:22):
And I'm gonna say I think all those women have
really specific per perfective and were unique voices in the
comedy world and pioneers as well.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
Now I'm going to tell you I don't know what
Harland told you about the radio station where I'm working.
We hit thirty eight states. You're being heard in thirty
eight states right now and part of Canada, so you've
got to have wide audience. And I know I was
(06:54):
on last night. I had a couple of people call
and ask about Judy to Noonan I. So we'll hold
your questions until tomorrow until it Blackwell is here. And
that is who I love it who I have now.
So I'm going to take a break, open up the
phone lines, and hopefully you'll get a few calls, and
if not, I can keep firing questions at you up
(07:16):
until the top of the hour. Again, my guest, Tailor Blackwell.
What's the name of the biopic.
Speaker 1 (07:25):
It's called it Happened the Judy Tuda Story.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
Okay, And if you want to call in six one, seven, two, five, four,
ten thirty or eight eight, eight, nine to nine, ten thirty,
speak to Tailor Blackwell and share some of your memories
about Judy Tanuda that you may have seen back in
the seventies and eighties and beyond. Maybe you still watch them,
(07:50):
you say, Taylor says, go to YouTube and you can
sign them. Time and temperature eight point fifteen seventy degrees.
Speaker 5 (08:01):
It's night side with Dan Ray and.
Speaker 4 (08:04):
Boston's news radio, fighting souldiers from the sky, fearless.
Speaker 6 (08:20):
Man who jump and die, men.
Speaker 7 (08:28):
Who will sing along.
Speaker 8 (08:32):
So take a letter, Maria, address it to my wife,
say I won't be coming home.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
I'm Dayton Barney fight.
Speaker 7 (08:50):
You know I have a petite flower.
Speaker 2 (08:53):
It could happen.
Speaker 6 (08:55):
Let's go back in time.
Speaker 8 (08:59):
Isn't it interesting how timing can change our lives. Yes,
like today I was throwing this bucket.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
Of hot water out of my window when.
Speaker 8 (09:11):
This Jehovah witness walked by, it was time for him
to be reborn.
Speaker 2 (09:20):
I want to put down my iud that was Judy Tanuda.
I think her first appearance on the David Letterman Show.
I don't know the date of that appearance. And I
am speaking with Taylor Blackwell, who gets to portray Judy
(09:41):
Tanuda and a biopic that Taylor is that out as
we speak.
Speaker 1 (09:48):
It's not yet. We're doing the festival circuit with it
right now. We played at the La Film Fest about
two months ago, okay, and he actually one best in
the short at that festival. And while I've been talking
to people about the film, I've been encouraging anyone who
runs a festival or your friend runs a festival. If
you think there might be interest in screening our film
(10:09):
at at a festival near you, you can reach out
to me directly. You can email me at Tay Blackwell
at gmail dot com or also my instagram, the Musical Mushroom.
I've post a lot of updates on the film on there,
but in the meantime, we've got the trailer to create
a little bit of hype.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
How much time have you put in to this whole project.
When did you start?
Speaker 1 (10:33):
Well, the idea first kind of came not too long
after she passed, and then probably a good six or
seven months after that that I started really thinking about
this seriously as a project and putting time and effort
into it. So it's been a couple of years now
of writing it and filming it and now editing it
(10:55):
and starting to put it out there.
Speaker 2 (10:57):
When did she pass away?
Speaker 5 (10:59):
What my.
Speaker 1 (11:01):
Twenty twenty two? I think October? Okay, yeah, all right, and.
Speaker 2 (11:10):
I've never met you, but if I see this on TV,
well I say, she resembles you know, the Judy Tanuda
I remember.
Speaker 1 (11:24):
I certainly hope. So that's the feedback we've been getting.
And some of her friends and family who were very
generous in having conversations with me and sharing their stories
about Judy, which was definitely helpful for me as a
creative behind this project, both from a performance and in
a writing standpoint. A lot of them were like, oh,
(11:46):
you really looked like Judy or you remind me of Judy.
So that was very nice to hear coming from people
who directly knew her.
Speaker 2 (11:53):
Okay, well, I've got a call. I do hope he
sticks on subject, and it is coming from San Francisco.
We are in Boston and our first call is coming
from San Francisco. I told you we ken the country.
David good evening, Welcome to the Lakeside.
Speaker 3 (12:11):
Junior, and miss Blackwell, we could to see you June
to Nudo honestly was my favorite female comic for about
twenty years and that's wow. Yes, and she was just great.
And when I saw her the first time, I says,
(12:32):
I hope I see her again, follow her through. Uh.
She had an APIs special and she was on the
letter many couple of times, and she was just uh.
And I like the way she always put men in
their place, always calling us, always calling us pigs, and
that's kind of a general. And I was just really
(12:59):
uh sorry to see her going twenty twenty two. I
believe she is overhast was and it's sad in me
because now my two favorite female comics are Laura Kitlinger
and Lawyer Smith. But she was like she was there. Okay,
(13:20):
I'd say twenty years for me, and I always look
forward to seeing her and.
Speaker 9 (13:29):
And Taylor, yeah you go ahead, Taylor, go ahead, Oh okay,
say well, we're hoping to keep her legacy going through
this project, and.
Speaker 1 (13:43):
The hope is and the feedback I've gotten so far
as the people like yourself to love Judy, they have
really enjoyed the film, and then the people who are
not familiar with her, they've now wanted to go and
learn more about her. So I hope you'll feel the
same way when you watch it.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
So are you going to be on the lookout for
this when it comes on TV?
Speaker 3 (14:06):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (14:07):
And Taylor once again tell people where they will soon
be able to find this.
Speaker 1 (14:15):
Well, after we do, some more of these film festivals
will be put in the film online in some capacity.
I'm not entirely sure what that looks like yet, but
in the meantime, the trailers out, and then also we
put out an album of of me performing Judy's music
in some of her comedy routines, and then the music
from the film, which was done by her composer Claire McEwan,
(14:36):
and Judy had a song called the Pope Song. Maybe
you remember that, and I perform it in the film,
and we have a music video out of the Pope
Song of me performing the Pope Song, and the actor
Alan Chrudik is actually in the film and he plays
the pope, so you have to look out for that.
He's a great actor.
Speaker 2 (14:54):
All right. So David, you've got homework.
Speaker 3 (14:58):
Yeah, from Park, Illinois, right, and I don't know exactly
where that is. I've been to Chicago, but.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
You have done your homework.
Speaker 3 (15:12):
Yes, I've done a little bit because I'm like I
said that, she was my favorite female comic for twenty
years honestly, and okay, and she's a great accordion player too.
But anyhow, I want to thank you all for putting
this on, and Morgan, I'll talk to you tomorrow night.
Speaker 2 (15:35):
Look forward to that.
Speaker 3 (15:37):
You take care, Thank you, sir.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
Bye David. All right, So Taylor, there are Judy Tuda
fans out there, and this is a good way to
reach them.
Speaker 3 (15:51):
I know.
Speaker 1 (15:52):
This is so exciting.
Speaker 2 (15:53):
Now I have to ask because every now and then
her comedy was mm slowly flow into blue. She was
not a blue performer, but every now and then some
blue material would filter in.
Speaker 1 (16:13):
You mean, like sad material. What do you mean by that?
Speaker 2 (16:16):
I will say, are rated? Okay, that's when blue is
an older term, and I guarantee you're you're too young
to know the term.
Speaker 1 (16:29):
But I am. Yeah, I've never heard it said that
way before.
Speaker 2 (16:33):
Well, I'm older than you much much much, But are
you comfortable at times with fading into our rated humor?
Speaker 9 (16:46):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (16:46):
I think the great thing about Judy was that she
didn't really bring anyone down with her humor. It's all
about having a good laugh, having a laugh at yourself,
having a laugh at each other, but but not to
be expensive anyone well being or anything like that. And
and I mean, I'm trying to think of her. You know,
(17:07):
she had a couple, you know, she she had the
love plays on stage with her, and she would sometimes,
you know, with someone's consent, to like ride an audience
member off the stage, that sort of. But it never
seemed to be anything that was making anyone feel bad.
(17:29):
And so for from that standpoint, I'm all in, And.
Speaker 2 (17:33):
I remember it periodically she would refer to herself as
a goddess.
Speaker 1 (17:40):
Yes, and she was.
Speaker 2 (17:43):
In her way, she was a goddess. Tell you what,
Let me take my break and have a news hit
to take. It'll be about three or four minutes. We'll
come back, Maybe some more phone calls will come in.
I'll give the phone number for anyone who wants to
call and speak to Tillor Blackwell. She is here. He's
got a production out that will soon be on HBO,
(18:05):
a cinemas and one of those cable outlets. And she
does a thirteen minute bit about the stand up comedian
Judy to Nuda, and we are talking about that comedian
up until nine o'clock six one, seven, two, five, four,
ten thirty eight, eight, eight, nine, two, nine ten thirty
(18:27):
here on night Side. The time is eight thirty. Temperature
in Boston seventy degrees.
Speaker 6 (18:35):
It's light Side with Dan Ray on WBZ, Boston's news radio.
I wrote you a song.
Speaker 7 (18:42):
Do you want to hear it?
Speaker 6 (18:44):
It's a country western love song and you can dance
to it.
Speaker 7 (18:47):
Okay, Sponge, I just want to cowboy.
Speaker 6 (19:02):
I just want a cowboy whose rich lives in the room.
I just want a cowboy a gold play this, Yeah,
I just want a carrowboy and John Ball in the band.
Speaker 10 (19:19):
No, not done. I met him one day at the clock.
See it could happened. He wants people done. Clear across
the room. He said, hey, let clutch just kiss my ring.
I said, if I want to see your baptom or
a sing hey man, I'd be his none.
Speaker 4 (19:49):
Teacher.
Speaker 7 (19:49):
How to kiss a brown, teach me how to dump
from a gun.
Speaker 1 (19:56):
I just have a careful boy.
Speaker 2 (19:58):
That kid, that's Taylor Blackwell doing her invitation of Judy Tanuda.
It could happen is a thirteen minute production coming out
(20:22):
to a YouTube near you. Other other places to watch
these things do exist, Rob my producer, He's already found
to Judy Tanuda examples and if Rob can find it,
maybe you can find it as well. Are you surprised
(20:44):
to hear that, Taylor, I love it.
Speaker 1 (20:48):
And that's I was like, wait, that sounds like me?
Speaker 2 (20:50):
And that was you?
Speaker 5 (20:53):
That was yes?
Speaker 2 (20:56):
So how long is it section of your career going
to be attached to Judy Tanuda?
Speaker 1 (21:07):
Well, in a perfect world, maybe we get a little
money and can make a longer version of this film.
That would be amazing. But Judy is one of many
characters I've played, and I think all the characters I've played,
they're all with me in some way.
Speaker 2 (21:24):
Are there any of the characters that my audience would
be aware of their name?
Speaker 1 (21:31):
Judy is the first person that I've played that's a
real person. Everyone else has been make believe.
Speaker 2 (21:40):
Have you played the comedy clubs in and around Boston?
Speaker 1 (21:45):
No, I'm not a stand up I'm really an actor
and director and writer, okay, but Judy has definitely inspired me.
Perhaps I'll get to do stand up now after she
has maybe pass the baton in some way.
Speaker 2 (22:03):
Well, you can, obviously you can pass as Judy. If
somebody came back from nineteen seventy five from a time machine,
it's seamless you to Judy and Judy to you. So
I think you've got that down, pat.
Speaker 7 (22:24):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (22:26):
Now, do you have any other aspirations after this runs
its course? It may take another year of you with
this project. It may take another ten years with this project.
But you mentioned acting, directing, writing, Is there something else
(22:47):
on the back burner.
Speaker 1 (22:50):
I've been acting since I was five years old, okay.
So I'm a storyteller through and through, and I love
other creative mediums for sure, But I I really enjoy
getting to tell stories and being on set. So that's
that's the main passion. And I'm excited about opportunities I
(23:12):
have where I get to sing and play instruments like
I did with this project as well.
Speaker 2 (23:18):
What other instruments do you play? Obviously you play the accordion, I'm.
Speaker 1 (23:23):
Guessing guitar, piano. I was about to say piano, right, yes, ukulele,
and then singing, so you're you are.
Speaker 2 (23:33):
Your own band? Yes, So you could go into a
studio play tracks for a ukulele, for an accordion, for piano,
for bass and call it the tailor of black One. Yes.
Speaker 1 (23:55):
No, I've definitely done that before, and I'll be announcing
this officially soon. But I'll be playing a show in
Los Angeles and September with my backing band. What I
perform live, I like to play with other people to
have a full band with me. So if anyone's in
LA in September, I have a show coming May off.
(24:15):
If you go on my Instagram the musical Mushroom, will
you post me more about that soon?
Speaker 2 (24:21):
Well, if anybody listening right now wants to call in
and chat with a very gifted young lady, Caleb Blackwell
is my guest. She's amrased in a project right now
portraying the comedian from the seventies and eighties into the nineties,
Judy Tanuda. We lost Judy twenty twenty two, so I
(24:46):
should say seventies, eighties, nineties into the two thousands and
give me some well known venues that Judy played in
her career.
Speaker 1 (25:00):
Let her start in Chicago to places like Namies. That
was a big one. I mean, she played all over
the country and the world. She toured with George Carlin,
she played just her Laugh in Montreal. And through the
process of putting this film out there and doing press
for it, I've had so many people who've reached out
(25:22):
to me and said, oh, I saw her in Florida,
I saw her in California, I saw her here and there.
She really she traveled a lot.
Speaker 2 (25:34):
I could see her and Carlin on the same bill
wowing an audience. Because sure Carlin made you think and laugh,
and as well, so did Judy. You had to think.
You absorbed her lyrics and they made you laugh, but
(25:56):
you had to quote unquote get it.
Speaker 9 (26:01):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (26:01):
And I will also say though that she had such
funny physicality. The dialge could make you laugh. And then
if you look a little deeper, yes, she was very
smart and very quick, and if you really analyze the
things she was saying, there was some real intelligence there
with her sense of humor.
Speaker 2 (26:23):
And physical humor entwined around dialogue always works. I remember
being in Vegas and seeing Joan Rivers. She did her
routine and then she walks off stage dragging let's say,
(26:44):
stage left, dragging a long boa. Then all of a
sudden she comes out stage right at the other end
of the poa. That physical act made the audience go crazy,
cracking up seeing that and seeing Judy Tanuda sit on
(27:07):
some gentleman's back and having him crawl off stage as
if he were a sedan chair. For Judy Tanuda, physical
humor always.
Speaker 1 (27:19):
Works, definitely. I think she was a real pro at it.
Speaker 2 (27:26):
You know, she found her niche she found what the
audience loved and set it to them. And that takes
a professional and you get to portray her.
Speaker 6 (27:43):
Right.
Speaker 2 (27:43):
Will you be doing a Judy Tanuda act going around
the country and the fall and winter.
Speaker 1 (27:55):
There's no current plans to that. I think the hope
is I do her act in the film. So by
taking this film to different film festivals around the country,
maybe in different parts of the world, I'll be in
a way doing just that just said, not a live
version of it, okay.
Speaker 2 (28:16):
And I think of just as an example, Jerry Lewis,
he was beloved in France. Was there a country that
truly appreciated Judy's performances. Yeah, America, but another country that
she could just step off the plane and wow them.
Speaker 1 (28:39):
That's a great question. I don't know the answer to that.
Maybe one of our people calling in we'll have some
insight on that.
Speaker 2 (28:47):
Okay, well you should be in radio because you've talked
up to my break and that's a very good request
of my audience. If you know that answer, call in six, one, seven,
fourteen thirty, eight, eight, eight, nine to nine, ten thirty
and tell me this is Nightside. Dan will be back
(29:10):
on Monday. I'm Morgan and I get to fill in
periodically when Dan Ray takes a vacation. Time and temperature
here on night Side eight forty five seventy degrees.
Speaker 3 (29:25):
You're on night Side with Dan Ray on w b Z,
Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (29:30):
Welcome back to Night's Side. I'm Morgan filing in for Dan.
My first guest this hour Tayler Blackwell. She's doing a biopic.
It runs about thirteen fourteen minutes and it's based upon
the career of Judy Tanuda. It could happen. That was
Judy's favorite line in all of her comedy sketches. And you, Taylor,
(29:55):
have another phone call. This time from Tampa, Tampa, Florida. Lily,
thank you for calling in. Welcome to Night's Side.
Speaker 5 (30:04):
Hi Taylor, thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (30:07):
Hey, really, what's up?
Speaker 5 (30:10):
My question is I saw you on Resident Alien and
you were fantastic. What kind of roles would you say
you gravitate towards and what would be a dream role
for you as an actress?
Speaker 2 (30:23):
Good question.
Speaker 1 (30:23):
Wow, that's a great question. Thank you. Dream role. I
love the movie Gypsy, and so I think that would
be an amazing role to get to play someday. I
love to sing, and also I like Gypsy too because
you get to see her go from a young girl
to this really bold Braisen woman. That would be pretty exciting.
Speaker 2 (30:49):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (30:50):
What kind of roles I gravitate towards? I really like artsy,
punky sort of characters, characters that have a unique voice,
just like Judy did.
Speaker 2 (31:04):
Okay, Lily, any other questions?
Speaker 5 (31:09):
Uh, just I'm very excited to see this when it's
when it comes out. I missed the beginning. So Taylor,
did you say where you're going to be next or
where you're trying to what theaters it's going to be in.
Speaker 1 (31:26):
Yeah, we'll be doing a film festival circuit and then
we'll be putting the film out online after that.
Speaker 5 (31:34):
Very very excited to see it. The trailer looked great.
Speaker 2 (31:38):
Lily, thank you for making the phone call.
Speaker 5 (31:40):
Thank you, of course, You're welcome. Good night, My good luck, Taylor.
Speaker 2 (31:46):
So, Taylor, how did you get introduced to Harlan? What
was that backdrop where he saw you? Somewhere? You got
in touch with him to a friend because.
Speaker 1 (31:59):
I Judy publicists, Okay and I, throughout this process have
been connected to the Judy to the Legacies, which is
run by Judy's life partner, Vern Pain, And through connecting
with Vern, I met a lot of Judy's friends and
then also was introduced to Harlan, her longtime publicist and
(32:20):
dear friends. And he has been gracious enough to help
us spread the word about this project and continue Judy's legacy.
Speaker 6 (32:29):
Do you know.
Speaker 2 (32:29):
Harlan's history and some of the people with whom he's worked.
Speaker 1 (32:33):
Oh, yes, he's the real deal.
Speaker 2 (32:35):
He is a lot of time. He is the real deal.
He's worked with almost every major name you can think
of over the past two or three generations of public personalities,
movie stars, TV stars, people from Broadway. And I will
say this You're very lucky to have him in your corner.
Speaker 7 (32:58):
I am.
Speaker 2 (32:59):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (33:00):
He's told me some great stories about some of his experiences. Oh,
he really loved getting to know him.
Speaker 2 (33:08):
And he got really hit hard by the fire that
went through California, I know, over the past year, and
I wish there was something I could do, just wave
a magic wand to put things back the way they
used to be for him. He had to change his offices.
(33:28):
And I'm not going to go into the whole sad song,
but he's a good man and deserves good things happening
to him. And it sounds like you it's going to
be a reciprocal thing, you working for him and him
working for you.
Speaker 5 (33:48):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (33:48):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (33:49):
And he's also handled all of that with such grace
and so I know he's going through a transition, but
he's very person and like you said, I feel lucky
to have him in my corner.
Speaker 2 (34:05):
He's got me at least two dozen great guests, people
that my audience has appreciated hearing from Don Wells, Ruder, Lee,
Stephanie Powers, not just all females. He's gotten me Anson Williams.
(34:25):
I could go on and on. This is off the
top of my head. I wish I had the paper
in front of me that has all of these names
of colleagues of Harlan. And now I got you. Yes,
and once this blows up, and it will. And you say,
you're hoping that the thirteen minute production can grow and
(34:50):
be added to over the next months and years. I
hope it does. And I'll have you back again, probably
in the fall, maybe the early winter of twenty twenty six,
and you'll have good news to tell me about where
the project of it can happen. It could happen where
it stands now.
Speaker 9 (35:11):
I like it.
Speaker 1 (35:12):
Yes, that sounds a good good timeline.
Speaker 2 (35:16):
Now, when we called you, my producer said, you're on
the road on your cell phone. Are you on your
way to a gig or coming back from a gig?
Speaker 1 (35:27):
I was out dancing with some friends and headed home
to do the interview. There actually was a bit of
a miscommunication with Harlan. I thought this interview was starting
in five minutes from now. So I'm just walking around
midtown New York right now, trying to find a quiet
space to have this conversation. So hopefully my audio hasn't
(35:50):
been too bad.
Speaker 2 (35:51):
It has not been interrupted by sirens or people squealing
in the street or gunshots, nothing at all, miraculously, and
we've only got two or three minutes left. But my
fingers across that you hit a home run with this project.
Oh let me let me say it in theater talk
(36:11):
that you break a leg with this project.
Speaker 1 (36:14):
Yes, thank you so much, and.
Speaker 2 (36:16):
I'm gonna recommend you. You say you have done this.
I think you should maybe get backing. Never use your
own money on any project. Learn that. If you learn
anything in theater, learn that. And you go into a
studio and put together a group, an ensemble of you
(36:42):
playing piano and bass, an accordion, and ukulele and what
other instrument did you mention?
Speaker 1 (36:51):
I think you've got them all, okay, piano.
Speaker 2 (36:54):
Guitar, guitar. Then you put together an album of all
Taylor Blackwell's music, the Taylor Blackwell Combo. Well.
Speaker 1 (37:08):
I have I have an album out it's called in
Memory of Harold Deine and that's anywhere you listen to
music just under my name Taylor Blackwell. I have music
out with my previous band called the Tenth like the
number t E And we have an album in ap out.
Speaker 2 (37:25):
And then I have a.
Speaker 1 (37:27):
Second album as a solo project in the works, so
keep an.
Speaker 2 (37:31):
Eye out for that too, definitely, and maybe the next
time I have you on will be the promo the album.
Speaker 1 (37:38):
Perhaps, Yes, I'll be playing a lot of those songs
in September in my live La show.
Speaker 2 (37:44):
All right, then, I wish I lived in La. Taylor,
thank you for your time. I hope we've gotten the
word out about it could happen, Judy Tanuda and people
check YouTube every now and then to see if that
project is there for you to watch, right.
Speaker 1 (38:05):
The best way to look out for it happened. The
you need to do the story is following my Instagram
the musical Mushroom or I'm on YouTube Taylor Blackwell, where
the trailer is already out and I'll be putting updates
on there. And like I said to you, if anyone
listening has a connection to this, to a film festival
that you think might be interested in playing our films,
(38:26):
you can email me directly at pay Blackwell at gmail
dot com.
Speaker 2 (38:31):
You go, girl, Taylor, thank you very much.
Speaker 1 (38:36):
Thank you so much, good luck, joy.
Speaker 2 (38:39):
Bye, bye bye. All right, everybody. Next hour, we're going
to have Bill Jennika and he's going to be talking
about the Artis Walker tend to midnight. Dixie will be
here talking about baseball, time and temperature here on Nightside,
Heard only on wb Z eight fifty eight seventy rais
It's with Dan Ray. I'm going crazy Bondon's.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
News Radio kight oh seven in the evening. Welcome everybody,
this is your last night without Dan Ray. I'm Morgan
Morgan White Junior and Dan has been off pretty much
most of July, but he will be back on Monday,
and I've got a full slate of guests. Tonight ten o'clock,
(00:30):
Dixie will be here giving a view an oh, excuse me,
an overview of the baseball season twenty twenty five All
Star game next week usually marks the midpoint of the
season within the game of two, and Dixie will be
talking baseball from ten to midnight. Nine o'clock, I will
(00:52):
be speaking with Bill Jennicot. I hope I pronounced his
name right. I'll verify that once I have Bill Long,
and he's going to talk about a book on mort Walker,
the artist who created the character Beatle Bailey. And now
I'm going to be speaking with a young lady who
(01:13):
has taken on a project both the documentary and I
do believe, a book about the legendary comedian from the
seventies and eighties. She used to do her stand up
while playing an accordion and necessarily you would think that
wouldn't work, but it worked like clockwork the career of
(01:35):
Judy to Nuda. So please welcome Taylor Blackwell. Taylor, thank you, Hey,
thank you for coming on. I know we were supposed
to have you on a week ago, but the schedule
needs to be changed and I'm glad to have you.
Speaker 1 (01:52):
Thank you for accommodating me. I'm happy to be here now.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
No problem. What was it about Judy Tannuda that attracted you?
Speaker 1 (02:01):
She was such a dynamic character and so lively and
had all these different colors to her. She could be loud,
she could be angelic, she could be brash, and for
me that was really interesting to see someone flip between
those different sweetness and more sour components of their persona.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
And let me clarify one thing. It's a book and
a documentary, if I'm not mistaken that you're part of.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
So no, it's a biopick, which means that it's not
a documentary. It would be using archival footage of Judy.
But what we've done is we've recreated some of her story.
So I'm playing Judy. Oh okay, yes, so you've seen
these biotics. They had a bob Dylan went out not
(02:55):
too long ago. Yes, it's kind of like that. But
a mini version of our film is thirteen minutes long
and no book. But Judy has published books that are
wonderful and should definitely be checked out.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
And did you just to get more foundation to your performance,
did you read any of those books?
Speaker 3 (03:17):
Oh?
Speaker 1 (03:17):
Of course, yes, read the books and watched every interview
and comedy special I could get my hands on that
Judy did. And then I also had lots of conversations
with her friends and family and her life partner vern
Pains and now I'm the duty to muta legacy was
very instrumental in making this film happen and allowing me
(03:38):
to use her real costumes and her real accordion for
filming as well.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
Do you play accordion?
Speaker 1 (03:45):
I do, yeah, and I played before this project, which
was part of the draw as well.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
And the key of because I have a very good
friend who appears on this show periodically with me, and
he is an accomplished accordionist. He plays the accordion not
as much as he used to, and he entertained with humor,
which basically is a basic overview of what Judy did.
Speaker 4 (04:20):
Right.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
Yeah, there there must be spiritual siblings of.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
This story, Kindred souls, Kindred Souls. Now, is there any
footage of Judy on the web if you go to
old MERV Griffin tapes or the Tonight Show, because I
know she appeared on both those programs. Where can we
find some live footage of Judy?
Speaker 1 (04:47):
YouTube was such an amazing resource for me when I
was writing, and there's lots and lots of puts of
her on there, or her doing the Women of the
Night special with Paula Palmstone, with the Runner, her own
generous parting short with the MC. I know a lot
of that is on YouTube, Okay, I would say that's
a good starting point, and then you can watch the
(05:07):
trailer for our film on YouTube while you're at it,
which is just under my name Taylor Blackwell.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
And I remember that Women of the Night specially, I
think it was on HBO or yes, it was on HBO,
and I remember that and the three other people in
that special were all at the top of the game,
and so was Judy.
Speaker 1 (05:34):
And yes, that was the real I think launching pad
for a lot of those women who were already gaining
a lot of recognition. And then that was a big moment,
I think, and a lot of their careers.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
And I think Ellen was doing stand up comedy and
different karmedy clubs, but by no means had the popularity
that we saw her have when she had her own program.
And you mentioned Paula Poundstone. I loved I loved Paula's comedy.
(06:11):
There's just something about her perspective of life that just
rang true, at least to me, and the same with Judy.
Speaker 1 (06:22):
And I'm gonna say I think all those women have
really specific per perfective and were unique voices in the
comedy world and pioneers as well.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
Now I'm going to tell you I don't know what
Harland told you about the radio station where I'm working.
We hit thirty eight states. You're being heard in thirty
eight states right now and part of Canada, so you've
got to have wide audience. And I know I was
(06:54):
on last night. I had a couple of people call
and ask about Judy to Noonan I. So we'll hold
your questions until tomorrow until it Blackwell is here. And
that is who I love it who I have now.
So I'm going to take a break, open up the
phone lines, and hopefully you'll get a few calls, and
if not, I can keep firing questions at you up
(07:16):
until the top of the hour. Again, my guest, Tailor Blackwell.
What's the name of the biopic.
Speaker 1 (07:25):
It's called it Happened the Judy Tuda Story.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
Okay, And if you want to call in six one, seven, two, five, four,
ten thirty or eight eight, eight, nine to nine, ten thirty,
speak to Tailor Blackwell and share some of your memories
about Judy Tanuda that you may have seen back in
the seventies and eighties and beyond. Maybe you still watch them,
(07:50):
you say, Taylor says, go to YouTube and you can
sign them. Time and temperature eight point fifteen seventy degrees.
Speaker 5 (08:01):
It's night side with Dan Ray and.
Speaker 4 (08:04):
Boston's news radio, fighting souldiers from the sky, fearless.
Speaker 6 (08:20):
Man who jump and die, men.
Speaker 7 (08:28):
Who will sing along.
Speaker 8 (08:32):
So take a letter, Maria, address it to my wife,
say I won't be coming home.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
I'm Dayton Barney fight.
Speaker 7 (08:50):
You know I have a petite flower.
Speaker 2 (08:53):
It could happen.
Speaker 6 (08:55):
Let's go back in time.
Speaker 8 (08:59):
Isn't it interesting how timing can change our lives. Yes,
like today I was throwing this bucket.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
Of hot water out of my window when.
Speaker 8 (09:11):
This Jehovah witness walked by, it was time for him
to be reborn.
Speaker 2 (09:20):
I want to put down my iud that was Judy Tanuda.
I think her first appearance on the David Letterman Show.
I don't know the date of that appearance. And I
am speaking with Taylor Blackwell, who gets to portray Judy
(09:41):
Tanuda and a biopic that Taylor is that out as
we speak.
Speaker 1 (09:48):
It's not yet. We're doing the festival circuit with it
right now. We played at the La Film Fest about
two months ago, okay, and he actually one best in
the short at that festival. And while I've been talking
to people about the film, I've been encouraging anyone who
runs a festival or your friend runs a festival. If
you think there might be interest in screening our film
(10:09):
at at a festival near you, you can reach out
to me directly. You can email me at Tay Blackwell
at gmail dot com or also my instagram, the Musical Mushroom.
I've post a lot of updates on the film on there,
but in the meantime, we've got the trailer to create
a little bit of hype.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
How much time have you put in to this whole project.
When did you start?
Speaker 1 (10:33):
Well, the idea first kind of came not too long
after she passed, and then probably a good six or
seven months after that that I started really thinking about
this seriously as a project and putting time and effort
into it. So it's been a couple of years now
of writing it and filming it and now editing it
(10:55):
and starting to put it out there.
Speaker 2 (10:57):
When did she pass away?
Speaker 5 (10:59):
What my.
Speaker 1 (11:01):
Twenty twenty two? I think October? Okay, yeah, all right, and.
Speaker 2 (11:10):
I've never met you, but if I see this on TV,
well I say, she resembles you know, the Judy Tanuda
I remember.
Speaker 1 (11:24):
I certainly hope. So that's the feedback we've been getting.
And some of her friends and family who were very
generous in having conversations with me and sharing their stories
about Judy, which was definitely helpful for me as a
creative behind this project, both from a performance and in
a writing standpoint. A lot of them were like, oh,
(11:46):
you really looked like Judy or you remind me of Judy.
So that was very nice to hear coming from people
who directly knew her.
Speaker 2 (11:53):
Okay, well, I've got a call. I do hope he
sticks on subject, and it is coming from San Francisco.
We are in Boston and our first call is coming
from San Francisco. I told you we ken the country.
David good evening, Welcome to the Lakeside.
Speaker 3 (12:11):
Junior, and miss Blackwell, we could to see you June
to Nudo honestly was my favorite female comic for about
twenty years and that's wow. Yes, and she was just great.
And when I saw her the first time, I says,
(12:32):
I hope I see her again, follow her through. Uh.
She had an APIs special and she was on the
letter many couple of times, and she was just uh.
And I like the way she always put men in
their place, always calling us, always calling us pigs, and
that's kind of a general. And I was just really
(12:59):
uh sorry to see her going twenty twenty two. I
believe she is overhast was and it's sad in me
because now my two favorite female comics are Laura Kitlinger
and Lawyer Smith. But she was like she was there. Okay,
(13:20):
I'd say twenty years for me, and I always look
forward to seeing her and.
Speaker 9 (13:29):
And Taylor, yeah you go ahead, Taylor, go ahead, Oh okay,
say well, we're hoping to keep her legacy going through
this project, and.
Speaker 1 (13:43):
The hope is and the feedback I've gotten so far
as the people like yourself to love Judy, they have
really enjoyed the film, and then the people who are
not familiar with her, they've now wanted to go and
learn more about her. So I hope you'll feel the
same way when you watch it.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
So are you going to be on the lookout for
this when it comes on TV?
Speaker 3 (14:06):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (14:07):
And Taylor once again tell people where they will soon
be able to find this.
Speaker 1 (14:15):
Well, after we do, some more of these film festivals
will be put in the film online in some capacity.
I'm not entirely sure what that looks like yet, but
in the meantime, the trailers out, and then also we
put out an album of of me performing Judy's music
in some of her comedy routines, and then the music
from the film, which was done by her composer Claire McEwan,
(14:36):
and Judy had a song called the Pope Song. Maybe
you remember that, and I perform it in the film,
and we have a music video out of the Pope
Song of me performing the Pope Song, and the actor
Alan Chrudik is actually in the film and he plays
the pope, so you have to look out for that.
He's a great actor.
Speaker 2 (14:54):
All right. So David, you've got homework.
Speaker 3 (14:58):
Yeah, from Park, Illinois, right, and I don't know exactly
where that is. I've been to Chicago, but.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
You have done your homework.
Speaker 3 (15:12):
Yes, I've done a little bit because I'm like I
said that, she was my favorite female comic for twenty
years honestly, and okay, and she's a great accordion player too.
But anyhow, I want to thank you all for putting
this on, and Morgan, I'll talk to you tomorrow night.
Speaker 2 (15:35):
Look forward to that.
Speaker 3 (15:37):
You take care, Thank you, sir.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
Bye David. All right, So Taylor, there are Judy Tuda
fans out there, and this is a good way to
reach them.
Speaker 3 (15:51):
I know.
Speaker 1 (15:52):
This is so exciting.
Speaker 2 (15:53):
Now I have to ask because every now and then
her comedy was mm slowly flow into blue. She was
not a blue performer, but every now and then some
blue material would filter in.
Speaker 1 (16:13):
You mean, like sad material. What do you mean by that?
Speaker 2 (16:16):
I will say, are rated? Okay, that's when blue is
an older term, and I guarantee you're you're too young
to know the term.
Speaker 1 (16:29):
But I am. Yeah, I've never heard it said that
way before.
Speaker 2 (16:33):
Well, I'm older than you much much much, But are
you comfortable at times with fading into our rated humor?
Speaker 9 (16:46):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (16:46):
I think the great thing about Judy was that she
didn't really bring anyone down with her humor. It's all
about having a good laugh, having a laugh at yourself,
having a laugh at each other, but but not to
be expensive anyone well being or anything like that. And
and I mean, I'm trying to think of her. You know,
(17:07):
she had a couple, you know, she she had the
love plays on stage with her, and she would sometimes,
you know, with someone's consent, to like ride an audience
member off the stage, that sort of. But it never
seemed to be anything that was making anyone feel bad.
(17:29):
And so for from that standpoint, I'm all in, And.
Speaker 2 (17:33):
I remember it periodically she would refer to herself as
a goddess.
Speaker 1 (17:40):
Yes, and she was.
Speaker 2 (17:43):
In her way, she was a goddess. Tell you what,
Let me take my break and have a news hit
to take. It'll be about three or four minutes. We'll
come back, Maybe some more phone calls will come in.
I'll give the phone number for anyone who wants to
call and speak to Tillor Blackwell. She is here. He's
got a production out that will soon be on HBO,
(18:05):
a cinemas and one of those cable outlets. And she
does a thirteen minute bit about the stand up comedian
Judy to Nuda, and we are talking about that comedian
up until nine o'clock six one, seven, two, five, four,
ten thirty eight, eight, eight, nine, two, nine ten thirty
(18:27):
here on night Side. The time is eight thirty. Temperature
in Boston seventy degrees.
Speaker 6 (18:35):
It's light Side with Dan Ray on WBZ, Boston's news radio.
I wrote you a song.
Speaker 7 (18:42):
Do you want to hear it?
Speaker 6 (18:44):
It's a country western love song and you can dance
to it.
Speaker 7 (18:47):
Okay, Sponge, I just want to cowboy.
Speaker 6 (19:02):
I just want a cowboy whose rich lives in the room.
I just want a cowboy a gold play this, Yeah,
I just want a carrowboy and John Ball in the band.
Speaker 10 (19:19):
No, not done. I met him one day at the clock.
See it could happened. He wants people done. Clear across
the room. He said, hey, let clutch just kiss my ring.
I said, if I want to see your baptom or
a sing hey man, I'd be his none.
Speaker 4 (19:49):
Teacher.
Speaker 7 (19:49):
How to kiss a brown, teach me how to dump
from a gun.
Speaker 1 (19:56):
I just have a careful boy.
Speaker 2 (19:58):
That kid, that's Taylor Blackwell doing her invitation of Judy Tanuda.
It could happen is a thirteen minute production coming out
(20:22):
to a YouTube near you. Other other places to watch
these things do exist, Rob my producer, He's already found
to Judy Tanuda examples and if Rob can find it,
maybe you can find it as well. Are you surprised
(20:44):
to hear that, Taylor, I love it.
Speaker 1 (20:48):
And that's I was like, wait, that sounds like me?
Speaker 2 (20:50):
And that was you?
Speaker 5 (20:53):
That was yes?
Speaker 2 (20:56):
So how long is it section of your career going
to be attached to Judy Tanuda?
Speaker 1 (21:07):
Well, in a perfect world, maybe we get a little
money and can make a longer version of this film.
That would be amazing. But Judy is one of many
characters I've played, and I think all the characters I've played,
they're all with me in some way.
Speaker 2 (21:24):
Are there any of the characters that my audience would
be aware of their name?
Speaker 1 (21:31):
Judy is the first person that I've played that's a
real person. Everyone else has been make believe.
Speaker 2 (21:40):
Have you played the comedy clubs in and around Boston?
Speaker 1 (21:45):
No, I'm not a stand up I'm really an actor
and director and writer, okay, but Judy has definitely inspired me.
Perhaps I'll get to do stand up now after she
has maybe pass the baton in some way.
Speaker 2 (22:03):
Well, you can, obviously you can pass as Judy. If
somebody came back from nineteen seventy five from a time machine,
it's seamless you to Judy and Judy to you. So
I think you've got that down, pat.
Speaker 7 (22:24):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (22:26):
Now, do you have any other aspirations after this runs
its course? It may take another year of you with
this project. It may take another ten years with this project.
But you mentioned acting, directing, writing, Is there something else
(22:47):
on the back burner.
Speaker 1 (22:50):
I've been acting since I was five years old, okay.
So I'm a storyteller through and through, and I love
other creative mediums for sure, But I I really enjoy
getting to tell stories and being on set. So that's
that's the main passion. And I'm excited about opportunities I
(23:12):
have where I get to sing and play instruments like
I did with this project as well.
Speaker 2 (23:18):
What other instruments do you play? Obviously you play the accordion, I'm.
Speaker 1 (23:23):
Guessing guitar, piano. I was about to say piano, right, yes, ukulele,
and then singing, so you're you are.
Speaker 2 (23:33):
Your own band? Yes, So you could go into a
studio play tracks for a ukulele, for an accordion, for piano,
for bass and call it the tailor of black One. Yes.
Speaker 1 (23:55):
No, I've definitely done that before, and I'll be announcing
this officially soon. But I'll be playing a show in
Los Angeles and September with my backing band. What I
perform live, I like to play with other people to
have a full band with me. So if anyone's in
LA in September, I have a show coming May off.
(24:15):
If you go on my Instagram the musical Mushroom, will
you post me more about that soon?
Speaker 2 (24:21):
Well, if anybody listening right now wants to call in
and chat with a very gifted young lady, Caleb Blackwell
is my guest. She's amrased in a project right now
portraying the comedian from the seventies and eighties into the nineties,
Judy Tanuda. We lost Judy twenty twenty two, so I
(24:46):
should say seventies, eighties, nineties into the two thousands and
give me some well known venues that Judy played in
her career.
Speaker 1 (25:00):
Let her start in Chicago to places like Namies. That
was a big one. I mean, she played all over
the country and the world. She toured with George Carlin,
she played just her Laugh in Montreal. And through the
process of putting this film out there and doing press
for it, I've had so many people who've reached out
(25:22):
to me and said, oh, I saw her in Florida,
I saw her in California, I saw her here and there.
She really she traveled a lot.
Speaker 2 (25:34):
I could see her and Carlin on the same bill
wowing an audience. Because sure Carlin made you think and laugh,
and as well, so did Judy. You had to think.
You absorbed her lyrics and they made you laugh, but
(25:56):
you had to quote unquote get it.
Speaker 9 (26:01):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (26:01):
And I will also say though that she had such
funny physicality. The dialge could make you laugh. And then
if you look a little deeper, yes, she was very
smart and very quick, and if you really analyze the
things she was saying, there was some real intelligence there
with her sense of humor.
Speaker 2 (26:23):
And physical humor entwined around dialogue always works. I remember
being in Vegas and seeing Joan Rivers. She did her
routine and then she walks off stage dragging let's say,
(26:44):
stage left, dragging a long boa. Then all of a
sudden she comes out stage right at the other end
of the poa. That physical act made the audience go crazy,
cracking up seeing that and seeing Judy Tanuda sit on
(27:07):
some gentleman's back and having him crawl off stage as
if he were a sedan chair. For Judy Tanuda, physical
humor always.
Speaker 1 (27:19):
Works, definitely. I think she was a real pro at it.
Speaker 2 (27:26):
You know, she found her niche she found what the
audience loved and set it to them. And that takes
a professional and you get to portray her.
Speaker 6 (27:43):
Right.
Speaker 2 (27:43):
Will you be doing a Judy Tanuda act going around
the country and the fall and winter.
Speaker 1 (27:55):
There's no current plans to that. I think the hope
is I do her act in the film. So by
taking this film to different film festivals around the country,
maybe in different parts of the world, I'll be in
a way doing just that just said, not a live
version of it, okay.
Speaker 2 (28:16):
And I think of just as an example, Jerry Lewis,
he was beloved in France. Was there a country that
truly appreciated Judy's performances. Yeah, America, but another country that
she could just step off the plane and wow them.
Speaker 1 (28:39):
That's a great question. I don't know the answer to that.
Maybe one of our people calling in we'll have some
insight on that.
Speaker 2 (28:47):
Okay, well you should be in radio because you've talked
up to my break and that's a very good request
of my audience. If you know that answer, call in six, one, seven,
fourteen thirty, eight, eight, eight, nine to nine, ten thirty
and tell me this is Nightside. Dan will be back
(29:10):
on Monday. I'm Morgan and I get to fill in
periodically when Dan Ray takes a vacation. Time and temperature
here on night Side eight forty five seventy degrees.
Speaker 3 (29:25):
You're on night Side with Dan Ray on w b Z,
Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (29:30):
Welcome back to Night's Side. I'm Morgan filing in for Dan.
My first guest this hour Tayler Blackwell. She's doing a biopic.
It runs about thirteen fourteen minutes and it's based upon
the career of Judy Tanuda. It could happen. That was
Judy's favorite line in all of her comedy sketches. And you, Taylor,
(29:55):
have another phone call. This time from Tampa, Tampa, Florida. Lily,
thank you for calling in. Welcome to Night's Side.
Speaker 5 (30:04):
Hi Taylor, thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (30:07):
Hey, really, what's up?
Speaker 5 (30:10):
My question is I saw you on Resident Alien and
you were fantastic. What kind of roles would you say
you gravitate towards and what would be a dream role
for you as an actress?
Speaker 2 (30:23):
Good question.
Speaker 1 (30:23):
Wow, that's a great question. Thank you. Dream role. I
love the movie Gypsy, and so I think that would
be an amazing role to get to play someday. I
love to sing, and also I like Gypsy too because
you get to see her go from a young girl
to this really bold Braisen woman. That would be pretty exciting.
Speaker 2 (30:49):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (30:50):
What kind of roles I gravitate towards? I really like artsy,
punky sort of characters, characters that have a unique voice,
just like Judy did.
Speaker 2 (31:04):
Okay, Lily, any other questions?
Speaker 5 (31:09):
Uh, just I'm very excited to see this when it's
when it comes out. I missed the beginning. So Taylor,
did you say where you're going to be next or
where you're trying to what theaters it's going to be in.
Speaker 1 (31:26):
Yeah, we'll be doing a film festival circuit and then
we'll be putting the film out online after that.
Speaker 5 (31:34):
Very very excited to see it. The trailer looked great.
Speaker 2 (31:38):
Lily, thank you for making the phone call.
Speaker 5 (31:40):
Thank you, of course, You're welcome. Good night, My good luck, Taylor.
Speaker 2 (31:46):
So, Taylor, how did you get introduced to Harlan? What
was that backdrop where he saw you? Somewhere? You got
in touch with him to a friend because.
Speaker 1 (31:59):
I Judy publicists, Okay and I, throughout this process have
been connected to the Judy to the Legacies, which is
run by Judy's life partner, Vern Pain, And through connecting
with Vern, I met a lot of Judy's friends and
then also was introduced to Harlan, her longtime publicist and
(32:20):
dear friends. And he has been gracious enough to help
us spread the word about this project and continue Judy's legacy.
Speaker 6 (32:29):
Do you know.
Speaker 2 (32:29):
Harlan's history and some of the people with whom he's worked.
Speaker 1 (32:33):
Oh, yes, he's the real deal.
Speaker 2 (32:35):
He is a lot of time. He is the real deal.
He's worked with almost every major name you can think
of over the past two or three generations of public personalities,
movie stars, TV stars, people from Broadway. And I will
say this You're very lucky to have him in your corner.
Speaker 7 (32:58):
I am.
Speaker 2 (32:59):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (33:00):
He's told me some great stories about some of his experiences. Oh,
he really loved getting to know him.
Speaker 2 (33:08):
And he got really hit hard by the fire that
went through California, I know, over the past year, and
I wish there was something I could do, just wave
a magic wand to put things back the way they
used to be for him. He had to change his offices.
(33:28):
And I'm not going to go into the whole sad song,
but he's a good man and deserves good things happening
to him. And it sounds like you it's going to
be a reciprocal thing, you working for him and him
working for you.
Speaker 5 (33:48):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (33:48):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (33:49):
And he's also handled all of that with such grace
and so I know he's going through a transition, but
he's very person and like you said, I feel lucky
to have him in my corner.
Speaker 2 (34:05):
He's got me at least two dozen great guests, people
that my audience has appreciated hearing from Don Wells, Ruder, Lee,
Stephanie Powers, not just all females. He's gotten me Anson Williams.
(34:25):
I could go on and on. This is off the
top of my head. I wish I had the paper
in front of me that has all of these names
of colleagues of Harlan. And now I got you. Yes,
and once this blows up, and it will. And you say,
you're hoping that the thirteen minute production can grow and
(34:50):
be added to over the next months and years. I
hope it does. And I'll have you back again, probably
in the fall, maybe the early winter of twenty twenty six,
and you'll have good news to tell me about where
the project of it can happen. It could happen where
it stands now.
Speaker 9 (35:11):
I like it.
Speaker 1 (35:12):
Yes, that sounds a good good timeline.
Speaker 2 (35:16):
Now, when we called you, my producer said, you're on
the road on your cell phone. Are you on your
way to a gig or coming back from a gig?
Speaker 1 (35:27):
I was out dancing with some friends and headed home
to do the interview. There actually was a bit of
a miscommunication with Harlan. I thought this interview was starting
in five minutes from now. So I'm just walking around
midtown New York right now, trying to find a quiet
space to have this conversation. So hopefully my audio hasn't
(35:50):
been too bad.
Speaker 2 (35:51):
It has not been interrupted by sirens or people squealing
in the street or gunshots, nothing at all, miraculously, and
we've only got two or three minutes left. But my
fingers across that you hit a home run with this project.
Oh let me let me say it in theater talk
(36:11):
that you break a leg with this project.
Speaker 1 (36:14):
Yes, thank you so much, and.
Speaker 2 (36:16):
I'm gonna recommend you. You say you have done this.
I think you should maybe get backing. Never use your
own money on any project. Learn that. If you learn
anything in theater, learn that. And you go into a
studio and put together a group, an ensemble of you
(36:42):
playing piano and bass, an accordion, and ukulele and what
other instrument did you mention?
Speaker 1 (36:51):
I think you've got them all, okay, piano.
Speaker 2 (36:54):
Guitar, guitar. Then you put together an album of all
Taylor Blackwell's music, the Taylor Blackwell Combo. Well.
Speaker 1 (37:08):
I have I have an album out it's called in
Memory of Harold Deine and that's anywhere you listen to
music just under my name Taylor Blackwell. I have music
out with my previous band called the Tenth like the
number t E And we have an album in ap out.
Speaker 2 (37:25):
And then I have a.
Speaker 1 (37:27):
Second album as a solo project in the works, so
keep an.
Speaker 2 (37:31):
Eye out for that too, definitely, and maybe the next
time I have you on will be the promo the album.
Speaker 1 (37:38):
Perhaps, Yes, I'll be playing a lot of those songs
in September in my live La show.
Speaker 2 (37:44):
All right, then, I wish I lived in La. Taylor,
thank you for your time. I hope we've gotten the
word out about it could happen, Judy Tanuda and people
check YouTube every now and then to see if that
project is there for you to watch, right.
Speaker 1 (38:05):
The best way to look out for it happened. The
you need to do the story is following my Instagram
the musical Mushroom or I'm on YouTube Taylor Blackwell, where
the trailer is already out and I'll be putting updates
on there. And like I said to you, if anyone
listening has a connection to this, to a film festival
that you think might be interested in playing our films,
(38:26):
you can email me directly at pay Blackwell at gmail
dot com.
Speaker 2 (38:31):
You go, girl, Taylor, thank you very much.
Speaker 1 (38:36):
Thank you so much, good luck, joy.
Speaker 2 (38:39):
Bye, bye bye. All right, everybody. Next hour, we're going
to have Bill Jennika and he's going to be talking
about the Artis Walker tend to midnight. Dixie will be
here talking about baseball, time and temperature here on Nightside,
Heard only on wb Z eight fifty eight seventy rais
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.